Cooking when you don't have all the ingredients on hand can be frustrating, but it can also be empowering: Since you have to think on your feet, some of the most successful outcomes are born out of limited circumstances.

TeamSugar regular FinnLover has long been the master of innovatively tweaking reliable recipes based on what she has in her kitchen. So guess what happened when she ran out of maple syrup for her pancakes? Finn improvised (and improved) her recipe by adding chocolate chips to her pancakes and using frozen blueberries stowed in her freezer to make a delectable compote. To see the recipe, which left me with a hankering for a sweet, sticky breakfast, read more

This week, the country's gone crazy for wine, cheese, and chocolate. If you're in Northern California, you may find yourself faced with the tough decision of choosing between three of life's greatest indulgences. We'll be getting cocoa butter and sugar high at the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon, and saying cheese at California's Artisan Cheese Festival. Maybe we'll see you there! Let us know what events you're attending this weekend — and feel free to add any other food events below.

• Del Mar, CA: Family Winemakers of California Tasting 2009 — Mar. 17
• Green Bay, WI: US Championship Cheese Contest — Mar. 17-19
• New York, NY: NYC Restaurant Week — Mar. 17-20
• Tallahassee, FL: Florida Wine Festival — Mar. 20-21
• Paso Robles, CA: Zinfandel Festival — Mar. 20-22

To see the rest, read more

While downing green drinks or beer cocktails is a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, sipping a fine, Irish whiskey is a low-key way to mark the occasion. Like wine, there is a special technique to enjoy the potent caramel-colored spirit.

Here's how:

1. Make sure the whiskey is at room temperature. Pour into a clear glass with a narrow mouth and wide bottom.
2. Examine the color of the liquid. The darker the whiskey, the longer it has been aged.
3. Warm the glass with your hands and smell the whiskey's aroma. Note any fruit, spice, or other flavors, like butterscotch.
4. Before tasting, add a tiny bit of water to dilute the concentrated spirit. You will be able to better taste the whiskey without a harsh burn from the strong alcohol.
5. Finally, sip the whiskey like you would a wine, and be aware of its body and flavor.

Do you enjoy whiskey? Have you ever been to a whiskey tasting?

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It's looking to be quite the year for celebrity chef Cat Cora. Not only does the female Iron Chef have a bun in the oven, but she's also announced she will open her first signature restaurant in Disney World.

The chef, whose Food Network bio says she's currently working on her signature restaurant will open Kouzzina by Cat Cora, a Mediterranean restaurant at Disney's Boardwalk Resort this Fall.

Cora, a native of Jackson, MS, recently opened CCQ, a quick-service barbecue restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA, but the descendant of Greek restaurateurs is famous for her Mediterranean cuisine. Cora says, the new restaurant will feature "time-honored recipes passed down from my ancestors, as well as my favorite Greek and Mediterranean dishes that my family loves."

I'm excited that the Iron Chef will finally have a chance to serve her signature dishes to the public. Are you curious to check out her restaurant?

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When FabSugar and I came up with the idea to host a Bedazzling party, I knew the menu would have to include dishes that sparkle with flaky chunks of fleur de sel. Since the party is on a Sunday afternoon, the menu consists of three light, simple nibbles. While waiting their turn to use the Bedazzler, guests can enjoy salt-roasted shrimp with scampi dip. Crisp mushroom and blue cheese crackers glisten with tiny salt crystals. Fab requested a dish with roasted beets, with their rhinestone-like vibrant color, so I'll serve them on crostini with fresh burrata cheese. If these dishes sound enticing, wait till you look at the recipes! Do so and read more

• Homemade baby food is easy and cheap. — Chow
• Lighter than nachos, chilaquiles rojos are a deliciously authentic Mexican dinner. — Serious Eats
• Feeling sick? Make your own bourbon cough syrup. — The Kitchn
• Learn what it's like to attend an olive oil tasting. — Cooking With Amy
• Choose your own food adventure! — The Epi-Log
• Ten white wines under $20.— Bon Appétit
• In case you missed it, here's a recap of Alice Waters on 60 Minutes. — Eat Me Daily

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To celebrate St. Patrick's Day tonight, serve your family a classic pub favorite. Although fish and chips is a traditionally British dish, this recipe pairs perfectly with an Irish pint.

Large chunks of fresh fish fillets are dipped in buttermilk and coated in cornmeal. The chips are baked in the oven, resulting in potatoes that are crisp, but not overly oily. For the uncomplicated recipe, read more